Means for and method of filtering



April 9,'1940. n ||.`B.BA|3soN E-ru. 'A `2,196,848

I xmms ron Ann `METHOD Vof' FILTERING 'Filed umh '25, 1957 Patented Apr.9,*1940 l l i i i.

UNITED STATES Arrivi* orrice MEANS ron AND Mnrnon onrlLTERING Henry B.Babson, Chicago, and Chester A. Thomas, Crystal Lake, Ill., assignors toBabson Bros., a limited partnershipof Illinois .Application Meren 25,iesmseiial No'. 133330'v sciaims. (Cielo-'159) The invention relates ingeneral to ltering ther object being t0 ferm Seid lOOtOm` Within and hasmore particular reference to improved Said Seat'vvith atleast Oneupstandihg Diojee- :means for and mei-,hodof filtering mi1k tion formingasupport for the ltering element An important objectief the inventionisto pro- `inwardly 0f the edges thereof; and a Sliiil'fiiifi'fnei' e,

A:S vide a simple and inexpensive' device for 1terobject of theinventionis to provide a holder or 5. ing liquids embodying `a ltering elementin- 61eme fr SeCuling the marginal edges 0f the eiuding means forControlling the new of liquid filtering-element in. the continuous Seatl through the altering element se es to prevent Another importent objectis to provide a lter dirt and other foreign matter, removed from the othe enero-ciel mentioned and including a con' l liquid at and by thefiltering element, from be- .nning chainioef on tne discharge Side oi aniteiing lov Vcoming impacted in the element and thus reelement for .usein Combination With e' milk ducing the ltering eiliciency thereof.cooler, wherein said confining chamber is formed Another importantobject is to prevent clog'- Wii'n ed Pinieiity 0f Drefe'ebly Circularlyar- :ring of a filtering element by controlling the flow ranged openingsi"i'll'oiigiiWhiCh the-llieied liquid i5 of liquid through the elementin such a Way that may' escape end loe Ydeposited llpOi'l the ClOWII- 15the altered liquid is released et the discharge Werdly and outwardlysloping Surfaces of a side of the filtering element at a rate less thanSpreading piete for delivery thence i0 the d0WI1- the maximum possiblerate of 130W of the liquid wardly and. inwardly sloping refrigeratedWalls of through the element under the influence of thek ef funneisnapedConiferii 2o pressureY head causing liquid flow through the NilnieleusAother Important objects, edven 2,0

element tages and inherent functions of the invention Another importantobject is to provide for Win become apparent as 'tne saine is more fuiiythe application of a back pressurein the liquid uneieestood from thefollowing description discharged from a filter element in order to limit.Whleh tenen in eennectmnwien in@ accompany" 35 and check the flow ofliquid through the elemg' drjiwmgxdlseleses a preferred embodiment 52.5

ment, thereby preventing the residue from beof them/'entmn' y comingfirmly impacted in the ltering element. Referring, to tnedrefwlng: i

, Anotherimportant object is to provide means Figure 1 .1S a 51de Vlewpartially in Seetlen of forming a conning chamber on the discharge e'milk Strainer emnodylngtne present invention 3i side of a filteringelement, into which chamber he Strainer being Shown in Combination With3D I the ltered liquid may be delivered from the ,eoeleref ene--ehai'aeter adapted to deliver y filtering element. and from which thefiltered ehliied milk dlreetiyinto ecan; .and liquid may be released ata regulated rate in .Figures 2 and 3i respectively, are lsectionalorderto maintain a back pressure on the filter- Views takenSubstantially along the lines 2*2 Another important object is to providea filter To iiiiletieie the ihVenl'iiOn, we have shown on embodying aholder for a sheet-like ltering eleine drawing nite? ii adapted for usein Coinment the holder providing a Chamber on he `bination witlra cooleri3 whereby to deliver discharge side of the filtering element andada'pigliquid in ltered and chilled condition to al coni ed -to receiveand confine ltered liquid. said teinei i5# n chamber vbeing formed torelease the coniined The Container l5, 0f COUISe, may he 0f any liquidat a 'regulated or metered rate of now, less Suitable or Preferred form,but for the sake of than that which would occur through thelterillustrating the invention the receiver l5 is ing element under theinfluence of thepressure ShOWiias a conventional milk'can having a con-vi heed under which the liquid is kdelivered ie the ylicei opening ormouth 'l1 in' its upper portions-'45 filtering element. Thecooler I3likewise may be of any desired Another important object is to provide asimconvenient or suitable form, and as shown, may plied constructionforming a milk iilter and comprise hollow Walls for the circulation ofa" comprising a tub-like element, preferably of refrigerating mediumtherein. The cooler may sheet metal, having an integral bottom formed beformed by assembling a conical shell I9 With- 50* with a continuous seatfor receiving the periphih ein Outer Cenoal Shell 2|, the Shell I9having eral edges of a sheet-like filtering element, said a portion 23at its 4end of lesser dimension formi bottom inwardly of the seat beingdepressed to ing e Beek adapted t0 fill inte the muth l1 0f the forma'conning chamber upon the under or disliquid receiver. At its oppositeend the shell I9 charge side of a ltering disc in said seat; a furmay beformed with an outstanding curled ange 55 n" ing element. and 3 3 inFigure 1 35 25 to which may be sealed the adjacent end edge of the outershell 2|. The opposite end of the shell 2| may be curled as at 21 andsealed upon the neck portion 23 of the inner shell. A helically arrangedrod 29 may be disposed between the shells I9 and 2| to dene a helicalchannel in the hollow walls of the cooler, and the outer shell 2| may beprovided with suitable inlet and outlet nozzles 3| and 33, both openinginto the helical channel so formed at the opposite ends thereof. Bydelivering a refrigerating medium, such as cold water, through thehelical channel in the hollow walls of the cooler I3, the walls of thecooler may be refrigerated so as to absorb heat from any liquidcontained within the cooler.

The filter preferably comprises a tub or bowl-like container, preferablyof sheet metal, with its lower side walls formed to fit upon or withinthe upper or larger end of the cooler. The bowl is formedl with a bottomwall having preferably a downwardly dished configuration. At the lowestpoint of said bottom wall 35, preferably centrally thereof, the wall isformed with a continuous groove or depression 31 forming a seat ofpreferably circular or annular shape. Inwardly of said seat 31 thebottom wall is depressed, as at 39, to form a chamber 4| below the seat31. The portions of the wall 35 forming the chamber 4I may also beformed as at 43, preferably centrally of the seat 31, to provide apedestal seat substantially in alinement with the seat 31, and thechamber forming portions 39 are also preferably formed with a pluralityof circularly arranged openings disposed around the pedestal 43,preferably inthe lowermost portions of the chamber 4|.

The seat 31 is adapted to receive and support the peripheral edges of afilter element 41, preferably a disc of fabric or other suitable filtermaterial, the invention particularly contemplating a woven cottonfilterdisc when the device is used as a milk strainer. The element 41 may besupplied in sizes to fit the seat 31 and it is simply necessary to placethe filter element with its edges in the seat 31 and its centralportions supported on the pedestal 43; To hold the filter clement inplace, a holder or clamp 49 may be provided. In the illustratedembodiment the clamp 49 comprises a cup-shaped element, preferablyformed as a casting, having a handle 5I suitably secured to the bottomof the cup for the purpose of manipulating the same without touching theparts of the holder which may become immersed in the liquid being lteredwhen the device is in operation. The element 49 is formed with openings53 and has a rim conforming with the size and shape of the seat 31 sothatby placing the handle with its edges resting upon the peripheraledges of the filter element in the seat 31, said filter element may besecurely held in place. l

The liquid to be ltered may then be delivered in the bowl or tub I I inany suitable or preferred fashion and under any desired head pressure.For filtering milky however, it is ordinarily sufficient to pour theliquid into the bowl I and rely upon the pressure of the head of milk inthe bowl to force the liquid through the filter element 41.

The liquid in the bowl I penetrates the openings 53 into the chamberwithin thehclder 49, and passes thence through the filter element 41 andis received in filtered condition within the chamber 4|. The openings 45are of a size adapted to release the filtered liquid from the chamber 4|lat a slower rate than the rate at which the liquid may iiow through thefilter element under the influence of the pressure head of liquid in thebowl I I, so that a back pressure on the filter element is created. Sucha back pressure applied on the discharge side of the filter elementprevents the liquid from being forced -through the filter element atfull head pressure, and prevents such solid material as is removed fromthe liquid by the filter element from being impacted upon and embeddedin the filter layer, which is thus maintained relatively free ofimpacted solid residue removed from the liquid being filtered. Thefilter element is thus maintained in condition for efficient filtrationand may be used for filtering larger quantities of liquid than wouldotherwise be possible in the absence of means for preventing the filterelement from becoming clogged with the residue. The holder 49 may alsoaid in maintaining the iilter element 41 free of impacted residue, sincethe construction and arrangement of the holder 49 will ordinarilyprevent large solid elements from reaching the filter element.

The filter of the present invention is particularly well adapted for usein filtering milk in conjunction with a milk cooler of the characterheretofore described, and to which the bowl H of the filter mayremovably fit, as shown in Figure l. We prefer also to provide a liquidspreader 55 for use in the cooler I3 in conjunction with the filter.This spreader 55 may comprise a preferably sheet metal disc havingportions sloping downwardly and outwardly of the central portions of thedisc, the marginal edges of the disc being flanged as at 51 to fitwithin the cooler at an elevation therein such that the central portionsof the spreader extend immediately below the bottom of the filter bowlwhen the same is in place in the cooler. The flange 51 is provided withprojections 59 of any suitable or convenient form or construction, andarranged circularly at intervals in the edges of the spreader inposition to engage and seat'upon the inner walls of the cooler wherebyto provide slot-like openings 8| between the outer edge of the spreaderand the inner wall surface of the cooler. portion of the spreader 55'isthus disposed beneath the chamber forming portions 39 of the filter sothat liquid discharged 4through the openings 45 of the filter may bedeposited upon the upper surface of the spreader and may drain thence'in radial directions and in a thin film over the surfaces of thespreader to the marginal edges thereof and be delivered substantiallyuniformly upon the inner refrigerated surfaces of the cooler and passthence in the form of a uniform and thin film of liquid downwardly alongsaid refrigerated walls while losing heat to said walls andtherefrigerating medium circulating therein. The `liquid after beingcooled during its passage downwardly along the walls of the cooler isdelivered to the container I5 in chilled and filtered condition. Inorder to support the spreader 55 in operative position in the cooler,the latter may be formed with an annular ridge 53 in the wall i9 forminga seat for receiving the rim of the spreader and supporting the samethrough engagement with the projections 59.

It is thought that the invention and its nu- The apexial merousattendant advantages will be lfully un- 'erally received upon said seatabove said receiving chamber, a pedestal centrally of said receivingchamber and having in its upper portion a pedestal seat centrallysupporting said filter element, a cup shaped clamping holder arrangedover the lter element and peripherally engaging the lter element andmaintaining the lter element against the seat and having inlet openings,outlet openings in said filtrate receiving chamber, said outlet openingsbeing so proportioned that their resistance to the flow of the milk fromthe chamber is greater than the flow resistance of the ilter element andthe inlet openings whereby a back pressure is created against the lterelement, said filter element at intermediate points between saidpedestal seatl and said peripheral seat being substantially unsupportedand being adapted to be held from excessive downward distortion by saidback pressure.

2. For use in combination with a milk cooler, a filter `comprising amilk receiving bowl provided with a lter element receiving seatsurrounding a depressed filtrate receiving chamber in said bowl, ayieldable iilter element peripherally received upon said seat above saidreceiving chamber, and having a pedestal seat centrally supporting saidfilter element, a cup shaped member substantially embracing peripherallythe upper side of the iilter element and having inlet openingscommunicating with said upper side of the lter element, outlet openingsin said filtrate receiving chamber, said outlet openings being soproportioned that their resistance to theflow of the milk from thechamber is greater than the flow resistance of the iilter element andthe inlet openings whereby a back pressure is created against the filterelement, said ilter element at intermediate points betweenl saidpedestal seat and said peripheral seat being substantially unsupportedand being adapted to beheld from excessive downward distortion by saidback pressure, and a spreader baille plate beneath the chamber fordistributing iltrate uniformly to the interior wall of said cooler, saidplate having central apexial portion with its outer portions formed toslope downwardly therefrom, and said outlet openings being annularlydisposed about surrounding a depressed filtrate receiving'chamber in thebowl, a yieldable iilter element periph ceiving chamber, a supportingmeans centrally of said receiving chamber and having its upper portioncentrally supporting said lter element, a clamping holder' having a walloperatively dis posed to protect the filter element from direct impactof the incoming milk, and peripherally engaging the iilter element andmaintainingthe filter element against the seat and having inlet openingmeans, outlet opening means in said iiltrate receiving chamber, saidoutlet opening means being so proportioned that its resistance to theflow of the milk from the chamber .is greater than the flow resistanceof the iilter element and the inlet openings whereby a back pressure iscreated against the iilter element, said filter element at intermediatepoints be-- tween said supporting portion and said peripheral seat beingsubstantially unsupported' and being adapted to be held from excessivedownward distortion by said back pressure.

HENRY Bi. BABsoN. y CHESTER A. THOMAS.

"erally received upon said seat above said re-

